Tamar, Where Are You?

If you want to approach a country photographically, what is the best way to do it? As a photographer, your perception is always influenced by your origin, your perspective is directed by your cultural background. So the question is, whether or not it is possible to photographically comprehend a country and a culture that is not your own.

When I was thinking about making a book of my long-term project about Georgia, I soon realized that my point of view alone would not suffice. Which led to the idea to invite Georgian artists, photographers and writers, to collaborate on the book – and my question to them was: If I asked you about Georgia, which story would you tell me?

These stories are collected in the book „Tamar, Where Are You?“ – and are put in dialogue with my photographs. Through this juxtaposition of inside versus outside view, we begin to gain a deeper understanding of this truly fascinating country.

Here’s a selection of images and stories that are shown in the book:

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Yuri Mechitov – Bearing Witness

Yuri Mechitov – Bearing Witness

Yuri Mechitov – Bearing Witness

Yuri Mechitov – Bearing Witness

Dina Oganova – My Place

Dina Oganova – My Place

Dina Oganova – My Place

Dina Oganova – My Place

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Vakho Khetaguri – Life on the Rails

Vakho Khetaguri – Life on the Rails

Vakho Khetaguri – Life on the Rails

Vakho Khetaguri – Life on the Rails

Guram Tsibakhashvili – Body of Georgia

Guram Tsibakhashvili – Body of Georgia

Guram Tsibakhashvili – Body of Georgia

Guram Tsibakhashvili – Body of Georgia

Natela Grigalashvili – Village of the Mice

Natela Grigalashvili – Village of the Mice

Natela Grigalashvili – Village of the Mice

Natela Grigalashvili – Village of the Mice

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Giorgi Shengelia – Unknown City

Giorgi Shengelia – Unknown City

Giorgi Shengelia – Unknown City

Giorgi Shengelia – Unknown City

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

Andreas Oetker-Kast – Georgia / Sakartvelo

(Copyright for the images by the individual photographers.)